How Much Vitamin D Is Too Much? A Case Report and Review of the Literature • Hacker News Board

Re: How Much Vitamin D Is Too Much? A Case Report and Review of the Literature

#111

Post by 082349872349872 » Sat, Oct 10, 2020, 5:40 AM UTC

opo wrote: post #67

thothamon wrote: post #59

Is this report simply saying it is possible to overdose on Vitamin-D? Isn't that possible with virtually anything?

Yea I thought that was common knowledge since at least when Paracelsus said it 500 years ago: "All things are poison, and nothing is without poison; the dosage alone makes it so a thing is not a poison."

Even metabolically innocuous substances can be dangerous in quantities sufficient for violent external application e.g. when being dropped[1] on one's head.

What do we call vitamin D surfeit? Arichitis?

[1] Although non-volatile storage these days is a choking hazard, in the earliest days of computing a couple of megabytes would have been fatal if their cabinet were to fall on someone.

(No lang belta this comment: Belters both have more pressing bone issues from life near the float, and get vitamin supplements from the pastes for their kibble, so unless the Belt somehow has universities somewhere and they're premeds cramming, they have absolutely no concept of rickets.)

Re: How Much Vitamin D Is Too Much? A Case Report and Review of the Literature

#112

Post by spfzero » Sat, Oct 10, 2020, 5:41 AM UTC

e9 wrote: post #79

fizwhiz wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you dose the D3/K2 combo on a daily basis? I've got https://amzn.com/B075R56QCQ which i do ~3 times a week.

I did that every day and started to have muscle pains and weakness after a while. After doing some research and experimentations, turns out you also need to take magnesium if that happens.

I can say, as an anecdote of one, that I have been taking 5000 IU of D3 along with K2 and Magnesium every day (almost) for about 3-4 years, with no ill effects and what I believe to be a positive effect, in that I have not been ill at all during that time. Cold, flu, anything.

My beginning D3 levels were 39 ng/ml, so just under the ideal range of 40-60, and not really deficient. I have not tested recently, though I believe my numbers would be higher now. I also try to get at least 30 minutes of sun exposure over most of my body 3-4 times per week. Fortunately I live where I can get good sun exposure year-round. Point is, test your serum D3 level and do whatever you need to get into the desired range, and don't take more than that level of supplementation. I do believe that sun exposure is a better choice than supplements, if practicable.

Re: How Much Vitamin D Is Too Much? A Case Report and Review of the Literature

#113

Post by Simon_says » Sat, Oct 10, 2020, 5:43 AM UTC

opo wrote: post #67

thothamon wrote: post #59

Is this report simply saying it is possible to overdose on Vitamin-D? Isn't that possible with virtually anything?

Yea I thought that was common knowledge since at least when Paracelsus said it 500 years ago: "All things are poison, and nothing is without poison; the dosage alone makes it so a thing is not a poison."

That platitude is not that helpful. What would Paracelsus' advice be on the toxic dose of vitamin B12?

Re: How Much Vitamin D Is Too Much? A Case Report and Review of the Literature

#114

Post by radu_floricica » Sat, Oct 10, 2020, 5:49 AM UTC

pmiller2 wrote: post #10

arkitaip wrote: post #8

"The patient had been assuming very high dose of cholecalciferol since 20 months (cumulative 78,000,000UI, mean daily 130,000UI), as indicated by a non-conventional protocol for multiple sclerosis." "This case confirms that vitamin D intoxication is possible albeit with a really high dose." This is a truly insane dosage but all this case says is that however created this protocol is dangerously incompetent.

Yeah, 130K IU / day is ~20x what's typically regarded as safe.

There's safe and safe. 20x the safe dose of cannabis will make you very stoned for a while, 20x the safe dose for alcohol will kill you. Similarly an overdose of vitamin D vs aspirin.

The relevant metric here is LD50 - but a quick google doesn't find a number for vitamin D. A wild guess would be that the patient in question could have died, though whether the odds were 50% we can't really say from just one case. But it means that 130000 UI daily for over a year is in the ballpark.

Re: How Much Vitamin D Is Too Much? A Case Report and Review of the Literature

#115

Post by spfzero » Sat, Oct 10, 2020, 5:52 AM UTC

Florin_Andrei wrote: post #75

ram_rar wrote: post #6

Taking 130,000UI per day for 20 months is insane. Most of the over the counter doses are ~ 5000UI. I'm curious, as to what was the patients diet like? Vit D is a fat soluble vitamin and its my understanding that one needs to eat healthy fats for it to be absorbed by the body.

> Most of the over the counter doses are ~ 5000UI. In what universe? In this one, doses I've seen are around 1k UI.

Pretty common to see 5000IU actually. Many people living in high latitudes need to take something like that amount just to stay in the normal range.

Re: How Much Vitamin D Is Too Much? A Case Report and Review of the Literature

#116

Post by slowmotiony » Sat, Oct 10, 2020, 5:52 AM UTC

voisin wrote: post #54

LegitShady wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

most of the supplements I've seen here are 1000ui, meaning she'd have to take 130 of the pills. It makes more sense when you realize there are liquid forms of d3 you can buy which probably make it much easier to dose really high.

In Canada at least anything over 1,000 IU in a pill needs to be prescribed (at which point I think it is an injection but I might be wrong). You’ll never find larger for sale.

That's interesting, I just had a look at my local amazon in Germany and even 50k IU caps are easily available for a few euros.

https://www.amazon.de/dp/B01H3U5ZVI/

Re: How Much Vitamin D Is Too Much? A Case Report and Review of the Literature

#117

Post by spfzero » Sat, Oct 10, 2020, 5:55 AM UTC

vecter wrote: post #32

I had a mini-episode of this earlier this year. Reposting as a warning for people: I had mild Vitamin D deficiency which was diagnosed by a doctor many years ago. I was given Vitamin D supplements, which I stocked up on more than usual recently due to my staying in all day due to WFH and not getting any sunlight. I used to take 50mcg of D3 1-2x a week and I upped that (without consulting a doctor) to 5x a week. Withi…

It might be a good idea to go outside at lunch to get some sun. WFH doesn't have to mean staying inside 24 hours a day.

Re: How Much Vitamin D Is Too Much? A Case Report and Review of the Literature

#118

Post by spfzero » Sat, Oct 10, 2020, 5:58 AM UTC

fareesh wrote: post #15

On this page it says the recommended dosage is 600 IU https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessiona... Are there any other opinions?

You should test your serum D3 level first, if its fine, why take anything? If its low, take whatever gets you into the normal range. Personally, I think 600 IU isn't going to move the needle much, based on information here

https://www.grassrootshealth.net/project/dcalculator/?_ga=2....

Re: How Much Vitamin D Is Too Much? A Case Report and Review of the Literature

#119

Post by 082349872349872 » Sat, Oct 10, 2020, 6:09 AM UTC

Simon_says wrote: post #113

opo wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yea I thought that was common knowledge since at least when Paracelsus said it 500 years ago: "All things are poison, and nothing is without poison; the dosage alone makes it so a thing is not a poison."

That platitude is not that helpful. What would Paracelsus' advice be on the toxic dose of vitamin B12?

Vit B12 LXX kg fiat bolus sumendum ab alta oculus uterque hora somni ought to do the trick.

Determining LD50 is left as an exercise for the reader.

Re: How Much Vitamin D Is Too Much? A Case Report and Review of the Literature

#120

Post by sz4kerto » Sat, Oct 10, 2020, 6:27 AM UTC

I have taken 4000 IU for two months or so. My diet probably contains enough Vitamin D otherwise.

Anyway. I started to have heart palpitations / arrythmia. Stopped taking Vitamine D for other reasons (basically I forgot to buy more), heart issues went away.